[Indicators of general and local immunity in chronic and neoplastic processes in the head and neck areas]

Total and secretory immunity was investigated in healthy people, patients with chronic ENT pathologies, and patients with tumors of the oral cavity, larynx and laryngopharynx. It was found that chronic inflammation was followed by a decline of topical defence and a decrease of total immunity. In cancer patients these changes were aggravated. Topical immunity disorders included mainly secretory immunoglobulin A and were most pronounced in patients with tumors localized in the oral cavity.